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KARACHI, Sept 10: As torrential monsoon rains wreaked havoc throughout Sindh rendering thousands of families homeless with many homes destroyed and crops devastated, the death toll on Monday rose to 105 in upper parts of the province where Jacobabad received at least 305 millimetres (over 12 inches) of rainfall within one day breaking the 24-year record of heaviest rainfall in the area.

While more showers have been forecast for the next couple of days by the Met Office, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah declared a state of emergency in the rain-hit parts.

Army troops were called out in Shikarpur.

According to unofficial reports, 105 persons have died during the current monsoon rains in Sukkur, Jacobabad, Thull, Kandhkot, Kashmore, Khanpur Mahar, Ghotki, Daharki, Mirpur Mathelo, Rohri, Ali Wahan, Shikarpur and nearby areas of all small and big towns of upper Sindh.

Jacobabad received 305 millimetres of rainfall between Sunday morning and Monday morning, crossing the earlier mark of 251-millimetre rainfall (over 10 inches) recorded in 1988, said a Met official on Monday evening, adding that a total of 442 millimetres (more than 17.7 inches) of rainfall had been recorded over the past 36 hours.

In Sukkur, 164 millimetres (6.56 inches) of rainfall was recorded from Sunday morning till Monday morning breaking the Aug 4, 2008 record when the district had received 92mm (3.68 inches) of rainfall. As the rain continued, another 10 millimetres of rainfall was recorded in 12 hours till Monday evening.

The country’s chief weatherman, Arif Mahmood, said that the marked low pressure entered Sindh and adjoining areas. Strong monsoon currents would continue to penetrate Sindh where scattered rain and thunderstorm with isolated heavy showers were expected over the next couple of days, he added.

He said that heavy rains could cause urban flash floods in Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad.

In Karachi, Faisal Base received 9mm; Gulistan-i-Jauhar and airport received seven millimetres; North Karachi received five millimetres; Landhi three millimetres and PAF Masroor base one millimetre.

Declaring emergency across the province, the chief minister directed commissioners and deputy commissioners to ensure evacuation of people to safer places and provision of relief facilities there.

Mr Shah directed the officials concerned to provide shelter, food and medical treatment to the rain-affected people. He asked the livestock department to make arrangements for the treatment and the provision of fodder for the cattle.